Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Episode 10

Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Episode 10 by Chautona Havig

Past Forward is a serial novel released weekly on Kindle.

Alone without friends or family to comfort her after the death of her mother, Willow Finley’s idyllic life is over—and just beginning.

When Willow Finley awakes on a hot summer morning, she is unprepared for the grief that awaits her. Jerked from a life of isolation with her mother, Willow learns what alone really means when she finds her mother still in her bed, never to awaken again in this life.

From the moment Willow arrives in the police station with her startling announcement, Chad Tesdall fights the friendship he knows he can't avoid.

In this episode, the hijinks around Willow's house escalate into a surprising climax. Cheri introduces Willow to the all-American female sport of Shop-till-you-drop, and a late-night call sends Willow out into the freezing cold... on foot.

Warning: Here We Come spoilers in this episode.

Follow as Willow's story unfolds past forward.

Released weekly as a serial novel.

Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Episode 10 is another perfect episode. This one goes by so fast because the drama is so engrossing. Solari plan comes to an abrupt ending. It made me laugh.

 

This episode illustrates just how unique Willow is. Things that would shake most people give Willow strength and resole. Solari machination are quickly turning him into a twirling mustachian villain; backfiring at every turn and he doesn’t even realize it.

 

Length wise it’s on par with previous episodes but it doesn’t read that way. At sixty-seven pages I blazed through this novel. This ends the most upbeat and hopeful of any previous episode.  With Willow saying yes, I’m guessing the story will be heading toward the wedding.

 

It will be interesting to see how the Solari situation will play out. If anyone will find out that everything happening to Willow is Solari’s fault?

I give Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Episode 10 5 out 5 Gs.

Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Volume 2

Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Volume 2 by Chautona Havig

Alone without friends or family to comfort her after the death of her mother, Willow Finley’s idyllic life is over—and just beginning.

  

When Willow Finley awakes on a hot summer morning, she is unprepared for the grief that awaits her. Jerked from a life of isolation with her mother, Willow learns what alone really means when she finds her mother still in her bed, never to awaken again in this life.

  

From the moment Willow arrives in the police station with her startling announcement, Chad Tesdall fights the friendship he knows he can't avoid.

  

This collection includes episodes six through nine of Past Forward. Willow, battling grief and anger, drives Chad from the farm, but he finds himself drawn back, despite her determination to keep a wall between them. An accident and the chance of a lifetime threaten everything she thought she held dear. As the walls crumble, Chad and Willow's friendship deepens into something truly special, but to what end? Everyone around him pushes Chad into a relationship he both wants and fights, knowing that Willow simply is not ready.

  

Someone is wreaking havoc around her farm. Afraid for Willow's safety, the police take turns guarding her place when off duty and she finds it hard to endure the disruption of her tranquility.

  

And then, Chad asks her to dance. Can she trust him? Find out in this second volume.

  

Follow as Willow's story unfolds past forward.

  

Past Forward is a serial novel released weekly on Kindle.

Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Volume 2 is the collection of episode six through nine of this serial novel. If you don’t like reading in little snippets this is for you. Encompassing about three hundred pages its novel length and the story isn’t even over. If you missed any episode since five this is also for you. The drama is revved up in this volume.

 

At first I was so disbelieving that Willow would be that naïve. Then I remember that she IS that naïve. Then it was like WOW. We live in a world, which the public has fostered us, to be intrusive on Public Figures’ personal lives.

 

More so than the previous volume I feel like a voyeur, reading about the development of a woman kept in captivity. I’m excited that she’s starting to adjust to being around larger groups. Even when nothing’s really happening I’m too invested to be disappointed.

 

When Christmas takes place its interesting how Chautona Havig addresses Willow’s isolation during the holidays. Her apparent naïveté to Christmas traditions is refreshing as a seven year old on Christmas Day. Willow’s grandparents are one of the “elephants in the room.” Their characterizations fall into the suspected coloring with their previous introduction to the reader. I’m shocked at the deceitfulness and depravity that doesn’t become known until the nearing of this volume.

 

It wasn’t until Aggie and the kids came over for Christmas that I realized this was interconnected in the same world as Chautona’s other works. There’s a plot developing subplot that I just can’t figure out it purpose. I don’t understand the motives of the character that’s driving this device or why.

I give Past Forward-A Serial Novel: Volume 2 4 out 5 Gs.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter Morgan 1) by Jeff Lindsay



The Basis for a New Showtime® Original Series Starring Michael C. Hall  

Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He’s a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likeable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened–of himself or some other fiend.  

From the Trade Paperback edition.

After spending two weeks rewatching 60+ hours of the serial killer we love. I was still jonesin’ like a crack addicted; God I can’t wait for Season 7 to start. So I decided to read Darkly Dreaming Dexter the book that inspired the series. I usually don’t read the books that inspire television show. With nearly a month between when I finished season 6 episode 12 and season 7 episode 1, my craving would have made me start the series over again.  

Okay. So when I started I expected a condensed version of the television show. This is not it. For the most part you get the broad strokes of the Dexter season 1 in this novel with several changes. Dexter Morgan seems less principled in the novel than in show. I didn’t really like that aspect of the character. His Dark Passenger is also more of an entity than an aspect of his personality. It makes him seem more schizophrenic than psychopathic.  

Even Deborah seemed less confident and capable in the novel. At least the show writers still managed to bring Deborah’s foul mouth. I think that was one of the highlights of this novel. Her foul mouth is a creation of Jeff Lindsay and not the show writers.  

For the majority of this book it reads like a very condensed first season of the television show. It made for a very boring read. But it does have few twists toward the end that makes it worth the read.  

There are several differences but two major ones that firmly separated the novel from the series. The death of a character at the end of this book; along with Debs discover of Dexter’s secret. It changes the dynamic of the novels going forward. Debs discovery is just now only being address whereas the novels has five or six more books to deal with this complication in Dexter’s life.  

After reading this novel I’m less in enthused to read the next novel but at some point I will finish the series. As I sit here and write I’m starting to ask questions that weren’t addressed. Some come from the differences in the novel and series and others come from the novel itself.  

I recommend this novel to those dedicated fans that love Dexter. Casual fans may not appreciate the differences between the two. I know that the novels came first and I still don’t like some of the differences, they enriched the characters.


I give Darkly Dreaming Dexter 3 out 5 Gs.